Pak allows Sharif to travel abroad
■ SHARIF’S NAME will be moved out from the no-fly-list for a limited period, whereas, he will have to submit security bonds to get the formal permission.
Pakistan’s federal cabinet Tuesday gave conditional approval to the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to travel abroad who sought the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Officials said that the federal cabinet members have given the permission to the former premier Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment after placing a condition prior to the removal of his name from the no-fly-list.
Sharif ’s name will be moved out from the nofly-list for a limited period, whereas, he will have to submit security bonds to get the formal permission.
The conditions tabled by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) have also come forth as the anti-corruption watchdog sought submission of guarantee money that worth the same with its surety bonds submitted for its bail or property.
NAB sources said that the decision was taken in view of the previous trends where persons moving abroad did not return to home nor any institution made any significant move to bringing them back to Pakistan from a foreign country.
Earlier, the second round of federal cabinet’s subcommittee meeting – headed by Law Minister Farogh Naseem –deliberated on removal of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) supremo Nawaz Sharif ’s name from the ECL.
The subcommittee members had expressed strong anger over the accountability watchdog
and asked it to clarify its viewpoint after talking to a ‘competent authority’.
The subcommittee is preparing its recommendations in the ongoing session and will forward them to the federal cabinet which will take the final decision under Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Notices regarding the subcommittee meeting were issued to all parties – including Leader of the opposition in the National Assembly and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, Secretary Health Punjab and medical board – to ensure their presence with required documents.
PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar is representing party president Shehbaz Sharif - who had filed the application to remove Nawaz Sharif ’s name from the ECL - in the meeting.
On Monday, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) said the government itself should look into the matter of excluding Nawaz Sharif ’s name from the ECL.
The anti-graft watchdog had returned the matter to the interior ministry after it sent the PML-N supreme leader’s medical reports to the NAB.
Nawaz Sharif was scheduled to travel UK on Qatar Airways flight QR629 yesterday. However, his ticket had been cancelled as the authorities did not remove his name from the ECL.